Tonto 1 #1 February 4, 2003 Hi There, Civil aviation regulations here make it illegal to jump with a spaceball. They allow only sand and Water (Ballast) to be deliberatly be dropped from an aircraft in flight. The jumpers involved are quite skilled. 1 has 2500 dives of which nearly 1000 are freefly, the other 2 around 300 each - all freefly. Is jumping with a ball really dangerous for people on the ground? There is residential housing about 0.7 miles from the DZ. The ball is caught almost every time, but a few have been lost. Those involved try and spot away from the houses, but have no control over the run in as the pilot does it through gps and is unaware of the nature of the jumps. Thanks, tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #2 February 4, 2003 Hi T, Run search fro a thingie called a Vladiball. Its like a spaceball, but at a pre determined height it opens and dumps the ballast. Otherwise it might be wise to keep the spaceballs on teh ground, unless the jumpers are 'rated' by someone....-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #3 February 4, 2003 Hi there, Yeah, the dudes I busted are on the ground right now and facing disiplinery action... I just want to know the risks so the punishment can fit the crime, you know?It's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fool 0 #4 February 4, 2003 QuoteThey allow only sand and Water (Ballast) to be deliberatly be dropped from an aircraft in flight. Not to stir the pot (well, maybe a little) but I don't recall ever hearing of FFer's deliberatly dropping the balls. I would say it's a total accident. S.E.X. party #1 "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #5 February 4, 2003 "I just want to know the risks so the punishment can fit the crime, you know?" An uncotrolled spaceball is a dangerous thing, however I don't know the skill level of the 'culprits' which goes a long way to mitigating the risk. Well, in the US it is accepted that you should have an AD number, which means that you should have been appraised by a 'ball master' or some other unofficial type licensing thing. In this instance I would get the 'perpetrators' to buy a Vladiball for the DZ http://www.surfflite.com/vladiball.html as their "punishment"..... The guy with 1000 freeflights(tm) should have known better, but how would a SA guy get an AD "license", since there are no examiners in SA? Even with an AD # playing with skyballs is usually at the discretion of the DZ management.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gus 1 #6 February 4, 2003 Quotethe pilot does it through gps and is unaware of the nature of the jumps I would have thought that informing the pilot would be a priority, why is he/she unaware? GusOutpatientsOnline.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #7 February 4, 2003 Risks? Haveing the ball hit some one will be fatal. If the ball hits any property it will make a nice big dent/hole in it. I've seen the impact crater from a lost ball and it was about 4 inches deep and about 5 inches around. It threw its filling (lead shot) for over 30 feet in all directions. Over anywhere that it could impact NEAR anything it should never be let out of the plane.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #8 February 4, 2003 The pilot was unaware as the jump was done without his or the DZ management's concent or knowledge. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joshjumps 0 #9 February 4, 2003 QuoteNot to stir the pot (well, maybe a little) but I don't recall ever hearing of FFer's deliberatly dropping the balls. I would say it's a total accident. In this case taking any object out of an aircraft with the intention of releasing it is considered deliberate. Whether they catch it or not is inconsequential to the law. Also whether the pilot knew about it or not he is still liable. josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billdo 0 #10 February 4, 2003 Please read about the Vladiball in this month's Parachutist (the one with the 300-way on the cover). They mention that a lost ball will impact with more than the force of a .44 magnum. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #11 February 5, 2003 The pilot was unaware as the dive was done in contravention of all CAA, DZ and Parachute association rules - and without the knowledge of the pilot or DZ management. It only came to light a week later when I was viewing a students video footage. It had been dubbed onto the tape.It's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #12 February 5, 2003 "Please read about the Vladiball in this month's Parachutist " Please scan it and post it. Bildo, not everyone here lives inthe USA, or even is a USPA member. Now then, if the good people at 'Parachutist' were to join the rest of the world in the 21st century, and publish good articles on the web, like the British mag, things might be different.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,648 #13 February 5, 2003 Quote"Please read about the Vladiball in this month's Parachutist " Please scan it and post it. Bildo, not everyone here lives inthe USA, or even is a USPA member. Now then, if the good people at 'Parachutist' were to join the rest of the world in the 21st century, and publish good articles on the web, like the British mag, things might be different. This might be quicker: www.surfflite.com/vladiball.html... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #14 February 6, 2003 Hehe John, just having a Rant, I'd already posted eth surfflite link way up there..Seriously though, why don't Parachutist publish their more 'educational' articles like last year's swooping series on the net? -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apoil 0 #15 February 8, 2003 Quote Well, in the US it is accepted that you should have an AD number, which means that you should have been appraised by a 'ball master' or some other unofficial type licensing thing. Not to really stir this up, but AD numbers are only issued by one "school". It is the only recognized "rating" of this sort, but it shouldn't necessarily be considered the only game in town. At other DZ's if you have that skill level and can demonstrate it, it's about the same deal. Additionally the skill level required to get it, isn't quite the skill level required to be a ball master. Ie someone who can reliably catch the ball nearly all the time at a prearranged altitude. Ideally the ball should always be jumped with a backup, and always over uninhabited areas. Quote The guy with 1000 freeflights(tm) should have known better, but how would a SA guy get an AD "license", since there are no examiners in SA? Exactly. And if you read the fine print, it's only a "license" to use Olav's spaceball™ in Olav's spacegames™. Other skyball activity is not sanctioned by that school. The AD "A" should not be considered a "license to jump skyballs" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
